Your Morning Dump… Where the Celtics stand in the way of Heaven

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

There are certain favors you ask at great, great risk. Such as: Borrow large sums of money. Help move a piano. Take care of your dog that still hasn’t gotten the hang of housetraining.

And root for the Heat.

This may come off sounding like an anti-Celtics story. But it’s not. It’s just a simple and direct basketball plea, that’s all. A request to the basketball gods to give us Miami vs. Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals, especially after what we’ve all been through since last summer. Don’t you think we deserve it?

Look. The Celtics, at this point, are many things: Noble, for sure. Proud. Fighters. Gamely geezers. Gritty, determined, resourceful. All that.

I was going to write up a big response, but I think this just sums it up best

Go Celtics. Crash this motherf’ing party.

On Page 2: Doc just wants better defense on LeBron

Doc: We can’t assume he’s not going to score 45 again, but we have to do what we’re supposed to do better first. And then if we have to make changes, we will. But LeBron played great, he made a lot of great shots. So all the credit goes to him.

But there’s a better defense that we can play, and it’s the defense that we should have played.Q. And what defense is that?

The message is clear… well.. I’ll let him say it, because it’s always better when he says it and I’ll just screw it up:

Staying within yourself. Not trying to do too much. Each guy doing their job. I think everybody just has to pitch in. But no one has to do more or above what they usually do. If each guy does their job and you get your best team effort, that gives yourself a chance to win.

This Celtics team is good enough to beat Miami in Game 7. They just have to trust each other. It’d be great of Pierce or Ray or anyone gets blistering hot and carries the offense for a while. But that can only happen in the flow of things.

Goodness gracious, that article has made me sick since last night…combined with the Thunder t-shirt, NBA.com is off my bookmarked pages.
I flew down to Miami this morning for the game…send the good mojo redsarmy.com readers!

Kricky

To the guy who re that article: “Good Job! Good effort!”

Dutchgreen

That article disgusts me. And it’s not even that he roots for the Heat to go to the Finals, but in the way he describes it as ‘good for basketball’. Since when is the game about some ‘stars’ thinking they can get their entitled asses to the finals just because of their names? Since when is the game about 1 1/2 (that’s the #3 wearing scumbag, who only shows up in the second half) stars and a bunch of scrubs? Since when does whining and showboating stand for better basketball than grit, teamwork, effort? Since when is hoping your freak of nature superstar in iso will bail you out ‘better for basketball’ than actually having a gameplan, switching defenses, and adjusting tactically? Sure, he probably claims that he does not want to insult the Celtics, except that he does insult the organization that has the most championships, puts at least three future hall of famers out on the court and freaking made this league! So yeah, a Heat-OKC Finals may be better for jersey sales, TV-ratings and pageviews for his pathetic scribbling, but NOT for the game of basketball!
And don’t get me started about the ‘true fan’ angle. If he would have bothered to get his head out of his behind at any point during the series, he might have noticed the late-coming Miami crowd versus the rocking jungle and the epic sendoff at the end of Game 6.
So, if I wasn’t already a Celtics fan and didn’t already hate the Heat (and to some extent the NBA, actually) for making it all about a few individuals rather than basketball as a TEAM sport, I would definitely want Miami to be humiliated after this sh*t.
Sorry, rant over… LET’S GO CELTICS!!!

Scott

After reading this article, I felt compelled to write to the author in an email. I don’t do this, like ever, but this shit really pisses me off and is a prime example of why people have their doubts about the legitimacy of the NBA. I thought I would share what I wrote.
Dear Mr. Powell,
Your article about true basketball fans rooting for and needing a Heat-Thunder Final is an example of everything that is WRONG with the NBA and a prime piece of evidence as to why many fans are skeptical as to whether the league is totally on the “up and up”. In any sport, the “true” fans should be rooting for the better, more deserving team to win. Not the team with the most annointed super stars. As a lifelong NBA diehard, I must say even I have a difficult time defending the league these days to my friends, as their argument that the league is about super stars and big names rather than team play and cohesiveness gains more steam daily. Articles like yours only add to this view, and are so beyond misguided I have a hard time putting it into words. When we begin placing value in ideas like yours – “The NBA Finals needs to be about stars in their prime and placed under pressure. It should be about entertaining basketball played at warp speed, complete with lob passes and full-court sprints that captivate the casual basketball fan. It should give us the MVP and the MVP runner up.” – you are setting a precedent that alienates a huge part of the NBA fanbase. Basically, you are saying, if your team has the biggest and brightest young stars, “great, your in.” If not, no matter how well your TEAM plays, “sorry, not interested.”
Quite frankly, I think this kind of article has no business on an NBA sponsored website. Having said that, maybe it gives us a true glimpse into what the NBA really wants for the league. I truly hope I am very wrong about that.
—
Sincerely,
Scott

Quest

Scott I hope you forwarded your email to David Stern as well.

Quest

Redsarmy your gif on the situation is totally right on!!!! Thanks!!!

http://profile.typepad.com/jmeedu James Eisenman

This is like Jack Kent Cooke’s balloons covering the top of The Forum in 1969. He was ready to drop them when the Lakers won game seven at home and have a band play “Happy Days Are Here Again.” Russell took the team out before the game, showed them the ballons and said, “There’s no way those damned ballons are falling tonight”. No balloons dropped. Or when Larry was asked what he thought of Moses Malone after Moses said that he and 4 members of his high school team could beat the Celtics in the Finals. At the championship parade, they asked Larry what he had to say to Moses now and in front of a million plus Bostonians, Larry said, “Fuck Moses Malone.” This guy should not mess with the basketball gods. We’ve got the fucking leprechaun!!!!! Go Celtics!!!

TRUTH D. Antagonist

the NBA has tipped its hand one too many times. there are too many cracks in the facade. too much collusion with the media. i grew up on the NBA in the ’80s and have been a fan ever since, but it’s getting harder and harder to believe this league isn’t rife with corruption.

screaming jay

Nice….!

http://profile.typepad.com/mattwilding Matt Wilding

If you’ve read my posts before, you know that, generally speaking, I’m a positive guy who defends people. With that in mind:
Fuck the NBA and fuck the Miami Heat. Go Celtics. Show the world what it means to rule us out.

RyanH

They can have those jackass stars, give me grit and balls every day of the fucking week. Shock the world tonight, Celtics.

wil

If there is any one who deserves to be in the finals, it sure aint the Heats.
Celtics wipe the floor with their smug faces! LETS GO CELTICS! HOOHAAAH!

http://profile.typepad.com/redslovechild1 Redslovechild

At least the balloons were put towards a good purpose. Days later, Cooke donated them to Children`s Hospital LA.
Best part of that game…every time Hondo “failed” in the 4th quarter, the Lakers paid a huge price.
Chamberlain injured his leg while rebounding Hondo`s missed shot with 5:45 remaining.
With 1:17 remaining, Erickson snuck up and knocked the ball out of Hondo`s hand, while he was dribbling. It turned into a perfect pass to Nellie, who hit his famous shot just as the 24 second clock was about to expire.
Good Times!

http://livingwithmaewest.tumblr.com William

Another thing I keep thing I keep thinking about is why would the Thunder want a broken down Heat Team, when they can play a semi healthy Celtics team with a lot more history. What has Miami ever won? The heat have one healthy player right now. You expect wade and bosh to be stars in the finals??? Not happening. GO CELTICS!!! Please just win this fucking game